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We're Open enough, Says Microsoft

Posted by timothy on from the one-way-doors-don't-count dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft Australia has come under fire from rival vendors and open-source advocates for keeping its Office document standards proprietary. Greg Stone, Microsoft's national technology officer for Australia and New Zealand, faced criticism during his presentation at the Australian Unix User Group conference in Canberra yesterday. However, he stood firm on the company's policy of making the XML schemas for its Office 2003 document standard publicly available provided interested parties sign an agreement with the software heavyweight. "Why should I have to sign an agreement?" one audience member demanded to know."

5 of 660 comments (clear)

  1. eeehmm by MPHellwig · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    So xml, rtf & txt is also closed?
    Of course word-ml is closed thats why they can export to other formats. Sure you lose the markup but if you have not solved that issue you better get a cluestick.

  2. Re:A better response to this by 1u3hr · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Plus any boss who fiddles with Linux for a bit isn't going to take long before concluding Linux is retarded because you can't embed video in docs like you can in Word.

    I think someone who embeds video in a Word file is retarded. Make an HTML file. Or Flash. Or whatever presentation format.

    Windows may be the biggest pile of bugs

    Because they keep using duct tape to add on inane features like embedded video (which will inevitably become a vector for spam and exploits). but PHBs aren't going to fanny around with all that geeky crap.

    Let them get a Mac. Thye can play whatever they want.

  3. Re:FUCK!!! Suck a cock by steeviant · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    you bastard.

  4. What ever you are Microsoft... by Qbertino · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    ... your Software and your Operating Systems suck.
    Get out of my air. Thank you.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
  5. Re:Why shoud I have to sign... by soulhuntre · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    "Yes, yes, all well and good except that MS has been found guilty of using unfair business practices to maintain and extend their monopoly."

    The classic /. whine. Microsoft must be bad, a court said so. But if when that court upholdes patents, or the DMCA or anything we don;t liek the courts are obviously too stupid to understand technology situations.

    As Linus said (sorta), Hypocrisy (is) the worst of human traits

    --
    --> Fight tyranny and repression.... read /. at -1!